


by the embers of the fireplace

by Stabbsworth



Category: Don't Starve (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Willow broke into Wilson's house, Wilson is Socially Awkward, and probably has adhd
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:41:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23322634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stabbsworth/pseuds/Stabbsworth
Summary: Wilson wakes up in the night to find a visitor at his fireplace.
Relationships: Willow & Wilson (Don't Starve)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 32





	by the embers of the fireplace

**Author's Note:**

> this is more of a fairly goofy thing i was working on.
> 
> hopefully i can complete this, i say, like a total liar.

"So, let me get this straight, you broke into my house specifically to use the fire to warm yourself up?"

"Yep."

A very exhausted Wilson P. Higgsbury sat on a stool, face lit by the fire, stocked up to the most he'd allow it to be. Safety first.

He wasn't too happy about being disturbed from his sleep in the first place, much less when he'd discovered someone sitting in front of the fire and shivering.

Somehow they managed to lockpick his door. He didn't expect anyone to know how to lockpick that lock, but, when there's a will, there's a way, he supposed.

"...Do you not have anywhere to stay for the night?"

"Nnnnnope."

He'd quickly learned that if he asked simple questions, he got answers. Maybe… she? He? Maybe they were a selective mute.

Maybe he ought to ask them about their gender, but he didn't quite feel like it at the moment. As far as he knew, they were a they. The stranger didn't comment on it.

They'd definitely settled into the spare blankets he'd given them, moth-eaten as they may be.

"...Mm. I'll… let you stay here for the night." This was the most social interaction he'd had for a while that didn't involve simply buying things.

Wilson wasn't sure if he liked the social interaction or utterly despised it. Words frequently failed him, he often stuttered, and there wasn't a single drop of charisma to be found in the man.

They responded by cocking their head. "Really?" A one-word question. He was used to one-word answers, but it wouldn't surprise him if they were questioning him on whether or not his intentions were genuine.

"Yes, er. It gets very cold outside in the late Autumn, and it. Wouldn't be gentlemanly to simply let you freeze to death. Hypothermia kills quickly." It was something he remembered from medical school, how humans would nonsensically take off their clothing at a specific point.

The stranger blinked, amber eyes gazing at him, briefly, before looking back at the fire.

"Thank you."

Wilson shifted, a little uncomfortably. He wasn't sure if this was a good idea, but he wasn't fond of staying up all night just to keep an eye on someone who seemed relatively harmless.

"I'd offer my bed for you to sleep in, but I sleep there." He scratched at the back of his head. "I know I might have a spare pillow in the storage room, and I could repurpose a table into a small bed if you'd like, but it won't be very comfortable, I don't think."

"Couldn't you use the table?"

"Well, yes, I could, but that's not going to be comfortable. And-- and I'm not sure I'd be in sound mind if I were to sleep in the same bed with-- with a stranger, we don't even know each other's names."

"Willow."

"...Beg pardon? Sorry, I didn't catch that."

"My name. Willow."

"Ah. I'm Wilson, Wilson P. Higgsbury."

"What's the P stand for?"

He recoiled a little, blinking, before finally answering their question. "Percival."

A long silence stretched out between the two.

"...Alright, how about this: I show you to my room, and you sleep in my bed."

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine. I've stayed up longer than this."

A small snort. "Table-bed."

"...Are you suggesting that I repurpose the table into a bed in the spare room?"

"Mhm."

"Well, yes, I could, but it's… probably not going to be comfortable."

"Fiiiiiiiine. I'll take the table-bed."

"Are you sure? Really, I can stay up. I've fallen asleep on my desk before -- much more uncomfortable."

"'ve slept on worse, you old fart." A jest, perhaps it was something to break the ice.

A pause. "I'm only thirty-- Thirty three." A slight pout on the man's face, before he adjusted himself. He supposed the early gray hairs and slight wrinkling on his face made him look a little older than he actually was. "Alright, I'll show you over to the room, then."

The stranger got themselves up, wiggling slightly in their blankets as they pulled the comforters tighter around themselves.

Wilson stood up as well, gingerly pulling at the collar of his PJs, then moving towards the entrance to the hallway, and motioning for Willow to follow.

He took the lantern from a hanger and switched it on, marvelling for a moment at the gentle buzzing noise. Electricity went through this thing. It was neat, to him.

The stairs creaked and whined as the duo went up them. It gave the ambience of a haunted house.

"Second door on the right. I think the bulb might be busted. I'll check, if you'd like to stay here for a moment." More of an order than a suggestion, really.

He fumbled for the door handle and stepped in, flicking the switch on.

The bulb lit, dimmer than usual, but it worked.

"This bulb seems to take a bit of time to get to, um. Full brightness. Give it some time -- you should still be able to see in here, but I'm not… sure about your eyesight."

Willow huffed a bit. "I can see just fine, y'know."

"Very good, then. Do you want the pillow and a couple more blankets, or…"

"Yeah."

"Alright. This was used as a storage room, my apologies about the… very big mess. Clutter." He used his foot to nudge a box over into the bottom shelving, before looking in another box and taking a few things out. "...I can move a lot of things up to the attic, it's where I do my science experiments."

"Uh-huh."

"Sorry."

"For what?"

"Rambling. I get like that sometimes." Wilson sighs. "I know it's awfully boring." He digs through the box, finding a pillow with a bit of wear-and-tear on it. "...This should suffice. I didn't think to keep spares of bedthings laying around, but…"

"It's fine."

"Are you certain? I could see if I've got any spares in my room?"

"Better than a doorway."

"Er. Alright. Do you want the lantern with you?"

"Mhm."

Wilson places the lantern on one of the shelves in an easy-enough spot to reach from the makeshift bed.

"Apologies about the mess."

"You've said that already."

"Yes, but I ought to at least try and make sure you're comfortable as a guest. I haven't… been doing a very good job of that, really."

"Wilson. It's fine. This is literally better than sleeping in a doorway an'... an' bein' exposed to the cold."

That's the longest he's heard the… person talking. Wilson blinks a little, before taking a blanket out of a box and draping it over the table.

"...I also don't keep spare mattresses."

Willow shivers again, before getting into bed.

"You're tired, aren't you? I'll, er. Leave you to sleep."

He flicks the light switch to off as he exits and shuts the door behind him, leaving it ajar, before stumbling over to his bedroom. First door on the right.

Once inside, he moves over to the bed, draws the covers back, and gets in, shivering to warm the cold mattress and sheets up.

He was already tired before the social interaction, but the interaction in general made him much wearier. He'd have to get them some sort of mattress if they were going to stay, and, even then, they probably should have something better than a moth-eaten blanket and a torn-up pillow.

Tomorrow was another day. And all would be well.


End file.
